Binning method and apparatus



Dec. 29, 1970 R. M. COATES BINNING METHOD AND APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Shet 1 Filed Feb. 29, 1968 INVENTOR ROBERT M. COATES ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1970 Filed Feb. 29, 1968 R. M.- COATES 3,550,347

BINNING METHOD AND APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet z I ll II II II II ll I /as INVENTOR ROBERT M. COATE-S ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1970 COATES 3,550,347

BINNING METHOD AND APPARATUS Filed Feb. 29, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3

INVENTOR ROBERT M. COATES *BY KW? ATTORNEY Dec. 29, 1970 R. M. coATEs' BINNING METHOD AND APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4' Filed Feb. 29, 1968 I32(UPPER END OF CYLINDER) I48 (PRESSURE) T s U A H X E INVENTOR ROBERT M. COATES' BY MM? ATTORNEY (LOWER END OF CYLINDER) United States Patent 3,550,347 BINNING METHOD AND APPARATUS Robert M. Coates, P.0. Box 64, Waynesboro, Pa. 17268 Filed Feb. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 709,409 Int. Cl. B65b /00, 39/14 US. C]. 53-65 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus having a deep submergence tank holding a body liquid, nonwatertight bin carrying elevator operable to submerge the bin in and surface it above the liquid body, a shallow flume leading from the tank with a tank-flume gateway therebetween (all of which is known in the art) the improvement combining with the foregoing of a collection funnel positionable onto and movable with the bin, the funnel having a gateway aligned with tankflume gateway when the bin is in its submerged position, a movable control gate for the gateways, one or more measuring sluice gates spaced along the flume from the control gateway, and fluid recirculation means interconnecting the tank and the end of flume remote from the gateway.

The binning apparatus disclosed herein is one wherein a fluid is used as a cushioning medium for the binning of buoyant objects to thereby minimize damage.

The apparatus and method will be described with particular reference to the binning of apples. As is well known, apples are particularly susceptible to bruising. After being picked, the apples are graded to remove culls and utilities and the remaining ones of higher quality are sized and again binned. Sizing means are available for feeding the sized apples into water where they are carried to the final binning operation, which is done by hand, through chutes or by other mechanical means and resultant damage often occurs.

The object of the invention is an apparatus and method to accomplish the final binning in a water cushioning medium and to control the binning by feeding a measured volume to a bin of sufficient size to hold at least the measured volume, thus preventing overloading and spillage from the bin.

The apparatus generally includes means for gathering a predetermined volume or quantity of apples within a fluid body in a flume, feeding the predetermined quantity from the flume into a collection funnel having a lower portion resting on the bin and submerged therewith in a body of fluid and an upper partially submerged portion, which is in effect, a continuation of the flume. The funnel also has suflicient volume to hold the predetermined quantity or volume of apples to be binned and after the apples are fed into the funnel, it and the bin are raised and as they move relative to the body of fluid, the apples remain as floating bodies until entrapped by the bin from which the fluid is emptying as the bin rises.

Although the description herein is directed particularly to the binning of apples, the apparatus and method may be used for the binning of other buoyant objects and even for objects having a slightly negative buoyancy. This versatility is due in great part to the provision of a control gate movable through a range of positions to accurately control water level and the flow of the liquid. As will be seen from the description herein the control gate is positioned between the tank-flume gateway and the collection funnel gateway and because of this contiguous positioning the two gateways may be considered as one.

A further object is the provision of means for operating the movable parts with their controls so positioned that only one operator is required for the entire apparatus.

3,550,347 Patented Dec. 29, 1970 The foregoing and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the detailed description when read in view of the drawings, wherein like parts have been given like numbers. Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 will be considered a front view, with sections broken away to show the positioning of the control and measuring gates and of the funnel and elevator means at the start of an operation;

FIG. 2 is a view with the flume removed and looking toward the apparatus from the flume end, the control gate being in sluice position and the elevator bin and funnel submerged;

FIG. 3 is a partial front view with portions broken away showing control gate in dam position and the funnel, bin and elevator submerged;

I FIG. 4 is a detail view of the elevator platform mount- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the collection funnel;

FIG. 6 is a schematic of the hydraulic operating means: and

FIG. 7 is a schematic of the hydraulic control valve.

As stated, FIG. 1 is considered a front view and the apparatus includes generally a deep submergence tank A in which an elevator means B is mountable to submerge a bin C within the body of water in the tank, and to raise or surface it above the top rim of the tank A. A shallow flume D of substantially the same width as the tank A, but of lesser depth extends to the right from the tank with the upper edges of the flume walls aligned with the upper rim of the tank and the tank cut away to provide a tankflume gateway E for water flow therebetween.

The described apparatus is known in the art and has been used for emptying bins. A nonwatertight bin C filled with picked apples is placed on the surfaced elevator means B. As the bins are usually of wood, a bale is used to secure it in position. The elevator is then lowered and as the bin becomes submerged, the bin takes in water, theapples gain buoyancy, float to the surface and are carried into the flume D and to the grading station, where the culls and utilities are removed.

Herein the tank A is of greater depth and there is combined with the above apparatus a collection funnel F which in the preferred embodiment is movable with the elevator means B, a control gate G (FIGS. 1 and 2) positioned at the tank-flume gateway E, a measuring gate H spaced from control gate G, and a fluid recirculating means I, interconnecting the tank A and the remote end of flume D.

The tank A is rectangular having a front wall 10, rear wall 12, right hand wall 14 and left hand wall 16, a closed bottom and an open top. The depth of tank A must be suflicient to permit submergence of the elevator, a bin C carried thereon and partial submergence of the collection funnel F as hereinafter described.

The elevator means B includes a horizontal platform 20 on which there may be rollers 21 for convenience in moving the bin C. Each rear corner of platform B is secured to the lower end of a slotted sleeve member 22 (FIG. 4) the latter being slidable on a vertical carrier 24 fixed to the tank left wall 16. The carriers 24 extend above the top of the tank and their upper ends are secured to a cross member 26 (FIG. 2) supported by the upper ends of rigid vertical brace members 28 exterior of the tank.

The upper ends of the sleeve members 22 are also interconnected by a cross member 30 and extending to the left from cross members 30 at each end thereof is an arm 32 which connects to the piston member of a double acting hydraulic means P1, the cylinder member being secured by suitable brackets to the vertical brace 28. As the hydraulic means P1 and similar hydraulic means are well known they are schematically shown in FIG. 6

and will be subsequently described, only their positioning and control being relevant to the apparatus herein.

It is seen from the foregoing that upon operation of the hydraulic means P1, the sleeve member 22 will be raised or lowered to raise or lower the platform 20. As previously stated, in the preferred embodiment the collection funnel F is movable with the elevator means and to accomplish this a centrally positioned horizontal arm 34 extends to the right from the cross arm 30. Extending vertically from arm 34 is an arm 36, carrying near its upper end a bracket 38 to which the cylinder member of a hydraulic means P2 is pivotally connected. The piston member of P2 is pivotally connected to a bracket 40 which is secured to a yoke 42 (FIG. having its outer ends connected to the collection funnel F. The arrangement of parts is such that the hydraulic means P2 suspends the collection funnel with its vertical axis aligned with the vertical axis of the tank A. Guide members 46 may be provided to prevent swaying of the funnel these members being carried by the sleeve 22.

As stated, the flume D extends to the right from the tank A and includes a bottom 41, a front wall 43, a rear wall 45 and a remote end wall 47. Its width is that of tank A and depth is related to the positioning of the funnel -E in the tank A and its length should be sulficient to hold at least one predetermined volume of apples but preferably is substantially longer.

Referring now to the funnel F it comprises (FIG. 5) a lower tubular body portion 50, here shown as the inverted frustrum of a pyramid with its smaller base the discharge opening and having a front wall 51, a rear wall 52, a left wall 54 and right wall 56 all tapering downwardly and inwardly. Secured to the upper edges of the front, rear and left wall is a collar portion 58 consisting of vertical Wall members of like height to the wall members of flume D. The upper collar portion 58 is open at the right to provide a gateway 56 of like cross sectional area to the tank-flume gateway E. When the bin is in a submerged position (FIG. 3), the funnel gateway 56 aligns with the tank-flume gateway E and the upper collar portion 58 is, in effect, an extension of the flume D. The depth of the flume and funnel collar portion side wall heights thus being determinative of the other. The left wall 60 of the funnel thus becomes one end of the flume and to prevent back currents and allow overflow from the funnel it is of screen mesh construction and functions as a discharge end.

The funnel should hold the quantity Or volume of apples required to fill the largest bin the apparatus may receive and the lower discharge end should be slightly smaller than the open top of the smallest bin the apparatus may receive. As the top of the bin exterior of the dis charge opening should be covered, there is provided on the funnel a peripheral flange 62 (FIG. 1) extending horizontally from the funnel tubular portion adjacent the discharge end to function as a seating and closing flange.

When the bin has been positioned onto the elevator platform (FIG. 1) the hydraulic means P2 is operated to move the funnel downwardly relative to the elevator means to seat the flange on the bin rim. Pressure is then maintained on P2 to secure the bin between the funnel and platform 22 whereupon the three may be moved as a unit to the submerged position, this being necessary to overcome the buoyancy of wooden bins and to maintain alignment with any type of bin. Obviously, the funnel could be made heavy enough to accomplish this or the present type bale could be used.

It is apparent that the apparatus as described may be used for binning, but for accurate control there is provided a control gate G positioned between the funnel gateway and tank-flume gateway.

The gate G is rectangular flat member and includes an upper blank portion 70 (FIG. 2) and a lower open or sluice portion 72. The blank portion has the same cross sectional area as the gateways and when in its intermediate 4 position (FIG. 1) it closes the gateways and stops water flow from the flume to the tank. When in raised or sluice position (FIG. 2) the lower edge of the gate is at the bottom of the flume permitting water flow to the height of the sluice openings 72 and when in lower position (FIG. 3) it functions as a dam and permits water fiow over it if the level of water in the flume has been raised above it. To accomplish the movements, the gate is positioned in vertical slides (not shown) at the interior corners of tank A at the flume connection. Extending from each upper corner of the gate is a vertical riser 84 connected at its upper end to a vertical guide rod 86 (FIGS. 1, 2) slidably mounted in brackets 88, 89 secured to the right wall of the tank. The lower end of each guide rod 86 is connected through a pivoted link 90 to the end of a yoke 92. The yoke 92 is connected to the piston member of a hydraulic means P3, the cylinder member being pivoted in a bracket 94 secured to the tank. Operation of the hydraulic means P3 moves the gate to the desired position and by maintaining pressure holds it in such position. The thickness of gate G is such that it practically fills the space between the end of the flume and funnel and when in sluice position (FIG. 2) it effectively extends the flume bottom to the upper edge of the right wall of funnel F.

As previously stated, one or more measuring gates H of like cross sectional area to the inside of the flume, is positioned along the flume and movable from a lowered stop to a raised open position as seen in FIG. 1. The gate H is of screen construction and will be referred to as sluice gate, the openings in it being such that restriction of water flow is minimum. Each upper corner of the gate is secured to the outer end of the long arm of a bell crank lever (FIG. 1) which lever is pivoted to a bracket 102 carried by the base of a V slide 104, the depending walls of the slide straddling the flume wall and being adjustable therealong. The short arm 101 of lever 100 is pivotally connected to the piston member of a hydraulic means P4, the cylinder member being pivotally connected to a bracket 106 on the base of slide 104 at a point remote from bracket 102. The slide 104 is positioned to space the gate H a distance from the control gate E to define a compartment with suflicient surface area to gather a predetermined quantity or volume of sized apples. The gate is then moved to the lower or stop position where it will prevent further flow of apples past it but not restrict water flow.

The water is recirculated from the tank to the flume by the means I which includes a conduit 110 having a perforated portion 112 extending into tank A adjacent the bottom thereof. In series in the conduit is a variable speed pump 114 and a gate valve 116 operated by a reverse acting motor 118, the pump, valve and motor being of any suitable type. Conduit 110 also connects into a nozzle 112 which extends substantially the width of the flume and feeds the water therein.

Considering the operation it will be assumed that the pump 114 is operating and valve 116 is open. The bin C is then placed on the raised elevator platform 22 and the funnel E is lowered on to the bin by hydraulic means P2 and locked in position (FIG. 1). The control gate G is in its intermediate or closed position (FIG. 1) to raise the water level in the flume through operation of valve 116. The hydraulic means P1 is then operated to lower the elevator until the funnel and tank-flume gateways are aligned. The control gate G is now raised to slice position (FIG. 2) to permit water flow from the flume to the funnel flume extension, the level of the water in the flume being maintained higher than the sluice openings 72 and higher than the level in the funnel. The apples are fed into the flume at the remote end from a sizer (not shown) and it has been found that the apples will line up in a transverse row against the gate G and form successive parallel rows throughout the length of the flume. However, when the rows of apples have reached gate H, which has been positioned for the proper volume, it is moved to the lower or to stop position. Control gate G is now moved to its lower or dam position (FIG. 3) and below the bottom of the gathered apples the apples are carried and flow over it and down into the funnel. The apples form a top layer in the funnel and are then carried beneath the top layer. As the funnel collar is now an extension of the flume and the water may discharge through the left wall 60, reverse flow of water is prevented.

When the flume compartment is emptied, the control gate G is moved to its intermediate or closed position and the hydraulic means P1 is operated to raise the elevator. As the funnel and bin now move relative and through the body of fluid, the funnel empties and the bin entraps the apples. Upon surfacing of the bin, the funnel is raised, the bin removed, another placed on the elevator and the operation is repeated.

The operation of the apparatus is controlled by locating the control valves for the hydraulic means on the side of the tank or flume in any suitable way as indicated by 120 (FIG. 1) and operating the valves through vertical levers marked L1, L2, L3 and L4 for respectively controlling the hydraulic means P1, P2, P3 and P4. The hydraulic means are schematically shown (FIG. 6) and as they are similar only P1 will be described. As seen, it has a double acting piston 122 within the cylinder 124. A fluid line 126 leads from the upper end of the cylinder to a valve and a line 130' from the lower end of the cylinder to the valve 128. The line 126 and 130 respectively connect within the valve 128 to ports 132 and 134 (FIG. 7). Additionally, an exhaust line 136 leads from valve port 140 to a reservoir 142, and a pressure line 144 leads from pressure tank 146 to valve port 148. As seen (FIG. 7) when 132 and 134 are connected to 148 the piston will have pressure on both sides and be locked in position. Turning the valve counterclockwise will connect 134 and 140 to lower the piston and clockwise to connect 132 and 140 to lower the piston. Any known type of control may also be positioned at 120 to control the recirculation gate valve motor 118.

Although the apparatus has been described for the binning of apples it is apparent that it may be used for other articles. For articles which are not sensitive to handling the water level in the flume need only be sufficient to assure a current which will roll or move the products along the bottom of the flume and the control gate may be moved to its lowermost position completely opening the gateways.

It should also be appreciated that numerous changes may be made, as for example, electrical means may readily be substituted for the hydraulic means. If a conveyor is used for the empty bins, instead of having the funnel associated with the elevator, one may be placed on the first bin manually and a second on the next bin and upon completion of the filling of the first bin, the funnel is removed to the third bin. The funnels may be made heavy enough to overcome the buoyancy of wooden bins, or non buoyant metal bins may be used.,

Preferably the bin is light and a bale such as is presently used to secure the bin to the elevator when emptying the bin could be used to secure both the funnel, and bin.

The patentable subject matter having been defined,

the following is claimed:

1. The method of binning apples which comprises:

(a) establishing a stream of water flowing toward a deep body of water, the stream having a depth sufiicient to float apples therein;

(b) maintaining the level of the deep body of water so that its upper surface is at about the level of the bottom of the stream of water;

(c) feeding applies into the stream of water;

(d) submerging an open top nonwater tight bin in the deep body of water to a depth to provide sufficient water above the bin to float apples in a quantity not exceeding the capacity of the bin;

(e) permitting a lower level flow of water from the stream into the deep body of water at a level below the bottoms of the floating apples in the stream while restraining flow of water above the level until a quantity of apples not greater than the capacity of the bin has been gathered in the stream;

(f) restraining the lower level flow and releasing the water above the level to provide a flow to carry the gathered apples into the deep body of water above the bin;

(g) stopping the flow of water into the deep body of water and (h) moving the bin and water relatively opposite to one another to float the apples into and drain the bin.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein water flowing into the deep body of water from the stream is allowed to continue its flow in the direction of flow of the stream and to overflow the area of the deep body of water in that direction, to thereby avoid back currents in the deep body of water.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a funnel is positioned in the deep body of water above the bin to receive the gathered apples flowing into the deep body of water above the bin and to guide them into the bin as the bin and the funnel are moved in a direction opposite to the water.

4. In combination with an apparatus having a deep submergence tank holding a body of liquid and a shallow flume extending therefrom with a tank-flume gateway therebetween to allow fluid flow from the flume to the tank, and wherein vertically movable elevator means are operative in the tank to submerge and surface a nonwatertight bin carried thereon, the improvement which comprises:

(a) a collection funnel having a lower portion positionalble on the bin and an upper portion having a gateway therein alignable with the tank flume gateway when the bin is in submerged position:

(b) means mounting the funnel for movement with the elevator and for spacing it over the bin;

(c) control gate means positioned between the funnel and the tank-flume gateway, said control gate means having an upper blank portion and a lower sluice portion; and

((1) means for operating said control gate means.

5. The improvement defined in claim 4 wherein the control gate means comprises a single control gate having an upper blank portion and a lower sluice portion.

6. The improvement of claim 4 wherein means are provided for operating the control gate which may position it in an intermediate position to close off the flume, a raised position to provide a sluice, and a lower position to provide a darn.

7. The improvement of claim 4 in which the collection funnel comprises an inwardly tapering lower tubular portion and a collar portion extending vertically from less than the full peripheral edge of the body portion to provide the gateway alignable with the tank-flume gateway.

8. The improvement of claim 7 in which the collar portion of the funnel opposite the gateway is a screen.

9. The improvement defined in claim 4 wherein the funnel mounting means are secured to the elevator means and a second means suspends the funnel from the funnel mounting means.

10. The improvement of claim 9 wherein said second means are operative to move the funnel relative to the elevator means and to secure the funnel against the bin.

11. The improvement of claim 4 wherein the tank is sufliciently deep and the elevator means have suflicient movement to submerge the elevator means and the bin, and to align the funnel gateway with the tank-flume gateway.

12. The improvement of claim 4 which includes a 7 measuring sluice gate in the flame and spaced from the control gate, and means for raising and lowering the measuring sluice gate.

13. In combination with an apparatus having a deep submergence tank holding a body of liquid and a shallow flume extending therefrom with a tank-flume gateway therebetween to allow fluid flow from the flume to the tank, and wherein verticaly movable elevator means are operative in the tank to submerge and surface a nonwatertight bin carried thereon, the improvement which comprises:

(a) a collection funnel having a lower portion positionable on the bin and an upper portion having a gateway therein alignable with the tank-fiume gateway when the bin is in submerged position;

(b) means mounting the funnel for movement with the elevator and for spacing it over the bin;

(c) control gate means positioned between the funnel and the tank-fiume gateway and means for operating said control gate menas; and

(d) a measuring sluice gate in the fiume and spaced from the control gate means for defining a compartment therebetween, and means for raising and lowering the measuring sluice gate.

14. In combination with an apparatus for binning floatable objects and having a submergence tank holding a body of liquid and a shallow flume extending therefrom to allow liquid to flow from the flume to the tank and where elevator means are operative in the tank to submerge and surface a nonwatertight bin carried thereon. the improvement which comprises:

(a) the tank being of such depth that the bin may be submerged sufficiently to provide a volume of water above the bin to receive a quantity of objects equal to the quantity the bin will hold,

(b) control gate means positioned in the tank-flume gateway, said control gate means having an upper blank portion and a lower sluice portion;

(c) means for circulating water through the tank and flume; and

((1) means for operating said gate means which may position it in an intermediate position to close oil the flume, a raised position to provide a sluice and a lower position to provide a dam.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,551,664 9/1925 Hubler 14l-27O 2,873,772 2/1959 Prenk 141-284X 3,178,867 4/1965 Martin 53248 3,470,670 10/1969 Gorin 53235X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,438,333 7/1966 France 53-248 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner R. L. SPRUILL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 53-248 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,550 347 Dated December 29, 1970 Inventor(s) Robert M. Coates It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 1, column 5, line '71, change "applies to apples Claim 4, column 6, lines 36-37, change "positionalble" to positionabli Claim 4, column 6, line 39, change the colon to a semicolon Claim 12, column 7, line 1, change "flame" to flume Claim 13, column '7, line 20, change "menas" to means Signed and sealed this 20th day of April 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

ED'v-JARD M.'FIETCHER, JR. WILLIAM E. SGHUYLER, J

Attesting; Officer Commissioner of Patent USCOMM-DC G037 

